Wrench having spring-pressed shoe for slidable and rockable jaw



Nov. 19, 1957 H. 51'. PIERRE 2,313,443

WRENCH HAVING SPRING-PRESSED SHOE FQR SLIDABLE AND ROCKABLE JAW Filed Aug. 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.2

' INVENTOR. HENRY ST PIERRE ATTORNEY Nov. 19, 1957 ERRE 2,813,443

. H- ST. WRENCH HAVING S NG-PRESSED E FOR SLIDABLE AND ROCKABLE J 7 Filed Aug. 22, l9 55 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HENRY ST PIERRE ZZ ATTORNEY United States Patent F WRENCH HAVING SPRING-PRESSED SHOE FOR SLIDABLE AND ROCKABLE JAW Henry St. Pierre, Worcester, Mass.

Application August 22, 1955, Serial No. 529,769

Claims. (Cl. 81-101) This invention relates to a new and improved wrench construction which is particularly adapted to Stillson type or pipe wrenches wherein there is an elongated shank having a jaw thereon and a relatively movable shank also having a jaw, for cooperation with the jaw on the elongated shank, such wrenches usually including a nut or the like for advancing the movable shank relative to the elongated shank, and the movable shank having a rocking motion relative to the elongated shank on an axis at right angles to the relative direction of motion thereof, as is well known in the art, and the present invention has for its principal object the provision of improved and increased rocking action, making the same live rather than slow, and including novel resilient means for normally maintaining the movable shank in a neutral position, said movable shank being capable of the rocking motion in either direction, so that the jaw on the movable shank may be moved away from the jaw on the elongated shank, and may also be moved toward the same for increased gripping action on an object such as a pipe or the like in the jaws; the provision of resilient means as aforesaid including a shoe or the like on which the movable shank may slide, said shoe being provided with a pair of oppositely extending feet portions, each of which contacts the end of a spring, so that when the movable shank is rocked in either direction, it compresses a spring depending upon the direction of rocking motion and this provides for an increased angle of rock or increasing rocking motion, so that the wrench grips better than like wrenches of the prior art.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a new and improved spring holder held in a novel manner within the main body of the elongated shank portion of the wrench, and in the relationship of the shoe and the feet thereon above described with the spring or springs in the spring holder, and with certain portions of the spring holder, whereby upon rocking action of the movable shank both ends of the spring or springs are compressed but to different degrees so as to increase the resiliency and live feel of the rocking action.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation with parts broken away and in section illustrating a form of the invention and showing the movable shank in neutral or intermediate position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the movable shank in its extreme position wherein the jaws are separated;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in their closest position for the particular wrench adjustment;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view illustrating a modification of the spring construction;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on line 55 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate further variations of the spring construction; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views, respectively, of the variations shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and further illus Patented Nov. 19, 1957 trating the compression of the springs during use of the wrench.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the numeral 10 generally indicates the elongated shank of a wrench which is provided with a spur at 12 for slidably guiding a movable shank 14. The elongated shank 10 is provided with a projection 16 having a through aperture 18 therein for receiving the movable shank 14 slidingly in parallel relation to the shank 10, and a nut 20 is used for cooperation with screw-threads 22 for adjusting the movable shank 14 relative to the elongated shank 10. Both shanks are provided with jaws as at 24, 26, all as well known in the art.

The through aperture 18 has opening into the same a deep notch or aperture indicated at 28, this notch being located centrally of the shank 10 and intersecting the through aperture 18. The notch 28 is provided at each end with an overhanging shoulder 30 which serves to hold in place in the notch a spring holder. As shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, this holder is of a general W shape, and it is provided with lateral side runs 32, 34, shorter connecting bottom runs 36, 38, the longer side runs 32 and 34 terminating in in-turned feet 40, 42.

The longer side runs 32, 34 are arranged at an angle to each other and the shorter bottom runs 36, 38 provide for locating means substantially at right angles thereto providing reaction surfaces for a pair of coil springs 44, 46.

These springs find their opposite reaction point against the inclined feet 48, 50 which are the terminal portions bent downwardly as shown from a central bridge member 52 welded or otherwise secured to a concave, convex elongated shoe 54. This shoe 54 forms a sliding support for the lower edge of the movable shank 14, the latter having convex edges, as is usually the case, and the lower edge fitting the concavity as shown in Fig. 5.

It will be seen that the springs, holder, and shoe all form a unit as shown in Fig. 4 which is insertableinto the notch 28 by squeezing the ends of the runs 32 and 34 and dropping the unit laterally into the notch 28 from the through aperture 18. Then, upon depressing shoe 54 against the action of the springs 44, 46, the movable shank 14 may be inserted as will be clear to those skilled .in the art.

Referring now to Fig. 2, there is here shown the action of the novel device when the same is actuated in order to provide a wide gap between the jaws of the wrench for the reception of an object to be clamped therebetween. In this case, the end edge of the through aperture 18 which is indicated at 56 forms a fulcrum for the movable shank 14 which rocks down away from the top edge 58 and aperture 18. This action causes shoe 48 to move down away from in-turned end 40 of the spring holder, thus compressing spring 44. At the same time, the foot 56 is moved slightly down away from its corresponding in-turned end portion 42 of the side run 34 of the spring holder and this also tends to compress the spring 46, so that the resilient pressure exerted on the shank 14 tending to move it back into the intermediate or neutral position of Fig. 1 is considerably increased. Although the position of the parts shown in Fig. 2 is easily achieved manually, a greater range of action of the movable shank in rocking is obtainable by reason of the increased resilient tension which is applied to the springs.

When the wrench is then turned to grasp the object between the jaws, the opposite action takes eifect as shown in Fig. 3 and in this case the spring 46 is compressed to a relatively high degree when the spring 44 is compressed to a lesser degree. In either case, the foot 48 or 50 which performs the smaller tensioning of the spring, finds its fulcrum at its end adjacent the run 32 or 34 of the spring holder, at the juncture thereof with the respective in-turned portion 40 or 42. Whereas in neutral position the ends of the shoes 48, 50 are spaced from their respective spring holder side runs 32,

34, these feet slide slightly sidewise to find the fulcrum points described above and plainly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

. Referring-now IO:=Ei g 6iand .8,..-therei isthere: shown .a modification of the device wherein the spring holder'is indicated generallyamfitl andit is of :arc shapeE-havi-ng its ends turned in at- .62,..-64 andqove'rlyingtthe terminalportions of the..feet-.-.66,-6Srespectively. 'Thesefeet extend parableto that at 54.

.thespring holder generallyindicatedgat 7 lis.of:1box.form

,havingza straight .jbOlZtOlllfj portion, r'straight sides 76, 78 and .directlys:in-turnedends. 8d and 82 overlying the feet 84.and as whichare a .part of 'the"shoe:;38,.:again. comparable to that. at254. tin .this. C'c1S6,iIh6IT6"8I6.LWORSPIlIlgS which. are similar to those at 144.:and .46 and these .are indicated .at 90 and 92. Oneuactionmof .this formofthe invention is illustrated in Fig. 9 and it-will be :seen to be substantially the same as the form illustrated in Fig.4.

It will be seen that this invention provides a relatively simple, easily assembled, spring construction which is completely housed within the parts of the --wrench so that there are .no protrudingspring members, and-the construction of the device issuch as to provide for a greatly increased range of rocking action .of the movable shank and also it provides for a positive resilient force impressed upon the movableshank in either direction, so that the shank is not merely allowed to move because of theabsence of sufficient spring means to move it, but

it is'positively actuated in either direction as above described.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but What I claim is:

l. A wrench comprising a handle, a fixed gripping jaw thereon, a shank, a jaw on the shank, the latter being movable with respect to the handle and the fixed jaw, means on the handle forming a passageforreceiving and loosely guiding the shank, a spring device inpthe passage, said device bearing onthe shank andmaintaining the same between twoextreme'positions 'of motion in a direction transverse to the line of movement of .the

movable jaw, said spring device comprising a rockable .cated in the aperture, a spring device in the recess hearing on the shank and yieldably holdingthesame in anintermediate inactive rockable positionrelativeto the'frame,

--saidspring device comprising a.rockable shoe slidable relative to the shank, means loosely holdingtheshoe in the recess against sliding, spring means urging the shoe into contact with the shank, a foot at each end of the shoe engaging the spring means, and a spring holder embracing the spring means and having ends contacting the feet and acting as stops and fulcrums therefor.

3. A Wrench comprising a frame having a fixed jaw, an apertured projection ..-associated with the frame, a recess within the projection andintersecting the aperture, a movable :jaw,.,a.shanktthereon, .said'shank being located in the aperture, a spring device in the recess bearing on -the1shank;and yieldably holding the same in an intermediate inactive rockableposition relative to the frame, said shank bei'ng threaded, a nut engaged with the shank to move it re'ctilinearly, said spring device comprising a spring holder having inturned ends, a spring means in the holder, a shoe engaging the shank, a pair of spaced feet on the shoe located under the inturned ends 'of the holderandayieldinglyxhel'd thereto by the spring means, the: latter :compressively engaging the feet.

. is. generally Vashapedsandt the spring means comprises a transversely bent-spring conforming tothe V, the inturned. ends. of the holder formingithe free ends'of the V.

5. Thewrenchof claim 3 wherein the spring holder being ofgeneral U-shape and-1the spring means comprising a pair of vsprings,:one-at'each sideof the 'U, and within thesame.

6. The wrench 'of-claimfl*=wherein=the spring holder being of general tl-shape an'dthe spring means comprising a pair of-springs, one at each =siderof 'the .U, and withirrthesame, said spri-ngs being parallel.

'7. The wren'ch of claim 3 wherein-the spring holder being of'general U-shape and'the spring means comprising a pair-of springsyone-at each side-of the -U, and Within the same, -said springsbeing angularlyinclined relative to-eachotheran'dthe-arms'of the U being likewise inclined.

8. Awrenoh comprising' aframe; a fixed'jaw thereon, a movable shank loosely *held' to the frame, "a l jaw on the shank, a spring device contacting the shank'and yieldingly holding '-the same in a substantially central position in the "frame-sothat t-he shank'is'rockable in either direction, said'sprin'g-"device'comprisinga holder includinga'pair of "arms having inturned ends, a shoe engaging the shank, a footadjacent'each end of the shoe and spaced therefrom, each "foot being engaged under a respective inturned end on the spring holder and rockably associated therewith 'with the'extreme end of each foot finding a fulcrum'on itsinturned end, and spring means yieldinglyholding each "footto its'said'inturned end.

9. The wrench of .clairn18 including .:means in the frameengaging the inturned ends 'of the spring holder at the sides thereof opposite the spring means, and holding the spring'holder in the'frame.

10. The wrench of claim 8 including means in the frame engaging the inturned en'ds .of'the spring holder at the sides thereof opposite the spring means, andholding the spring holder in the frame, said spring Iholder being resilient and snapped in under the means'holding the same.

References Citedin the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PAT-ENTS 1,939,798 :Thewes Dec. 19, 1933 

